And just like that, January bid us farewell, and in came February,

What promises and treasures does she hold for us? I think it will be a lovely month!

We’ve had some of our coldest temperatures here as much of the country has this week! They closed our schools and post office for a few days it was so cold! But we still had the sun shining and that is something to be grateful for! Someone asked me what our temps were today, and I told them we were at 1° which is 15 degrees warmer than yesterday, so I guess that is a significant improvement!

But here is the amazing thing, they are forecasting temps up to 50° on Monday! So the word here in Michigan is “Flexible”. It’s all good! We can do that!

And as the days slip by, we are getting closer and closer to spring! How wonderful!

Our Sizzler Challenge Exercise Group is now donning her February attire and we are getting outside and staying active and having fun! And we would love nothing more than to have you join us!

We are a Facebook group of ladies who connect to help us stay motivated to get out there and exercise. No experience needed! You are a perfect fit! The nicest group of ladies from all over the world! We really have a lovely group! Honestly, I get a little teary just thinking of what these ladies mean to me!

It’s judgement free– operates on encouragement and positivity – that is the secret sauce!

And it’s free. That fits my New Year Budget!

So how does it work?

Every day ladies get on and share what exercise they got in. Some share every day and some once in awhile. It’s all good! And we cheer each other on! Any kind of exercise counts! So whether you did yard work or walked for half an hour or rode your bike or shoveled the driveway… if it gets you moving, it’s good! And there is no pressure if you miss a day or two or twenty. It’s all based on encouragement and the stories of the ladies in the group!

So even as I am sitting here now, I already know that Regina got out and took a nice walk today, and Joanne, Amy and Mary got on their treadmills, and Shelley and Sandi took long walks and I know I will be getting some walk time in as well. It is just lovely to be inspired and encouraged by these dear sweet women who get out there and get it done. And I know I can do the same thing! It just is a blessing and it really works!

We sure would love to have you join us! If you would like to check it out, Click Here: Sizzlers Challenge

I’m taking the week off of the sales as I am sharing about a few fashion subscription services this week.

STITCH FIX and TRUNK CLUB

So I’ve shared with you before about a few of the subscription services I belong to. Well, I received two packages this week from different services! Now I am like a little kid on Christmas when a package comes to the door for me! And I got 2 this week! How fun!

A personal stylist generally selects the items and sends them right to your doorstep!

I now have tried multiple companies that provide such services, and two I have maintained my subscriptions for over 2 years, because I truly like the service and the terms.

First I want to share with you about “Stitch Fix”.

So before your first shipment, you contact “Stitch Fix” (stitchfix.com) and they have you complete a survey about your preferences, your budget, styles and colors you like as well as dislike. They charge a $20 styling fee, which can be used toward your order. They really try and get a feel for what you like, they even offer a way you can set up a Pinterest Board so they can see the types of things you like. Then they send you a box with 5 items selected by a stylist for you to try at home.  Also, if you choose to purchase all 5 items, you receive a 25% discount on your entire order, in addition to the $20 styling fee applied to your order.

Here is what a typical Stitch Fix box looks like.

Let’s open it!

So I pulled the bundle out… see that canvas bag with teal stripes to the right? Those are shoes! Be still my heart! And it looks like some lovely sweaters! The large white plastic envelope is prepaid for shipping back the items you don’t want to purchase.

So first was a beautiful grey colorblock turtleneck sweater. I tried it on, and I loved it! For me, length is a deal breaker. If it crops too high, it is really unflattering, but this was long enough and the color and style was lovely. The price for this sweater was $68.

Below, a boho style pull over blouse with a vibrant color pattern, and tiny pleats. $68. This looks really cute on, and I could see it working well into spring.

Burgundy Double breasted Fleece Jacket $78. This was not so flattering on me. I think it was just a little bulky on me.

And this beautiful blush sweater with detailing in the sleeves. $68. This really is a lovely sweater, but blush is just not a good color on me.

And the booties, a dark grey wedge, for $84. Ok… I love these! I have a little bootie problem. Or a big bootie problem. That doesn’t sound right, does it? Or maybe it does, hah!

They included a description list and prices of what they sent, and some styling ideas for the pieces. These are very helpful.

Now, I had my $20 credit I could use towards any selections I make, or I could return them all and I would then just lose the $20 styling fee. I enjoy this service enough, the variety coming to my door selected by someone else. It is a treat and I feel it’s worth the $20 styling fee. But still, I could purchase any combination or all of the items! Well, I am trying to only purchase 1 or 2 items at the most and I frequently do send all the items back. But this time, I selected the navy printed blouse, and chose to send the others back. (I waffled on the booties about a hundred times, they were so cute!)

You have 3 days to get the items you don’t want in the mail. So I bundled up the items I wasn’t purchasing, And very easily removed the sticky side of the envelope end and sealed the bag closed. I took it to the post office, and dropped it off, no charge because it was prepaid. Very easy!

Well, the very next day, I got a “Trunk” from Trunk Club, another subscription service. To me, Stitch Fix is a little more trendy (which is fun!), and Trunk Club is like the Cadillac of fashion subscription services. And you get first class service as well.

It is the same concept with Trunk Club as with Stitch Fix. Trunk Club is a subscription based mid to high end clothing service owned by Nordstrom, so you can use your Nordstrom account to pay for items you keep if you like. You have a stylist who works with you on your colors, style, how often you want to receive a shipment, etc. The stylist selects items to have put in your trunk. He or she will send you an email with a preview of what is coming. You have the chance to turn down individual items or keep the entire trunk. If you turn some of the items down (I usually do this for a few items I just don’t care for) you can opt to have the stylist “fill in” with other items that you won’t see until the box comes. Honestly, it really is fun!

So here is the “Trunk” I received the other day. It was huge.

Here is for a little perspective. The top one was the empty box from the Stitch Fix shipment the day before. Is your heart pounding like mine was?

So let’s open that treasure trove up! Right here in my own home! Wahoo!

They always use these linen type of ribbon wrappings to bundle items together. Yes, it makes me feel pretty special! And the little note with all the details inside. They read me like a cheap novel!

Let me move the bundles so you can see what is below the clothing items. A large handbag, and 3 boxes of shoes! Mind you it was  -14° outside, and that dear Federal Express man brought this trunk to my door, and a cold and lonely day just got a whole lot better! Even if I didn’t take a thing for myself, it was really fun to have these delivered for my perusal right here in my family room!

So let’s take a look! So first up, I unwrapped this adorable short sleeved blouse, the Pleat Sleeved Collared black blouse by CECE $79. Ok, this is totally adorable on. Feminine, elegant with a little bit of whimsy! Also, the J Crew Houndstooth wool blazer  $228. This is a beautiful 100% wool blazer, lined,  that would make a fantastic addition to your wardrobe. It’s a little pricey but a classic piece you would use for years. It was a little warm for me, so I chose to take a pass on it, but it is gorgeous.

The green blouse below is by Halogen ($45), with pretty pleats, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and all summer long! The light blue sweater is also by Halogen ($69), and has a grosgrain bow in the back, really cute!

And then look at these lovely pieces! The pants fit beautifully, by Nic + Zoe, on sale for $93.99, regularly $128. The coat is by Something Navy ($189), a beautiful light gray, and a red turtleneck by 1901 ($59). The coat color was not flattering on me, but it was a lovely coat.

And check out the gorgeous shoes and bag below! The pumps are by Sam Edelman, ($119), the heel is perfect on them, suede, very beautiful and fit like a glove! The mules are by Halogen, with a cute buckle on the top. And the black boots are also by Sam Edelman (the Hilty), on sale for $112 regularly $159.95. These were “swoon-worthy”, remember I am fighting a bootie addiction. And the leather pink blush bag is by Kate Spade, the Large Margaux, ($359). It’s a gorgeous bag! However, it’s a little too spendy for me, and I am not a big fan of the blush color bag, the temptation would be greater if it was a taupe or tan.

So once again, I had a choice to make. The items that tempted me the most were the little black blouse, the black pants, the tan heels, and the black boots. The black boots were actually whispering to me. But ultimately I stayed conservative and simply chose the little black blouse.

I put the remaining items back in the box, and connected to the “Trunk Club” Website where my order was waiting for me to share my feedback. I told them my selection and scheduled a “pick up” of the trunk with items I did not choose, and they would come pick it up from my front porch the next day. I put the enclosed mailing seal on it, and two pieces of packing tape, also provided by them to seal the box closed. And I set it out on my front porch by 8am the next morning, and they came and picked it up! Just that easy!

So while I was housebound a bit this week, it was really fun to get these packages!

The items through Stitch Fix are not quite as pricey as the items through Trunk Club. Both are really fun to get, and it is just cool to see what someone else would pick out for you! If you should choose to use the Stitch Fix link, because I am a customer, you will get a $25 discount on your first order (I will get a $25 credit as well). That is another benefit of Stitch Fix, if you refer a friend, your friend will get a discount and so will you. Trunk Club does offer a similar program, but you email an invitation link to the individual friend.

The fact that I have kept my membership for these two subscription services for over 2 years tells you I really do enjoy them, and think it is worth it. The Trunk Club can send some pretty expensive items so you may want to clarify your budget when you subscribe. The first trunk I received a gorgeous navy blue sweater that was over $300. I needed to dial it back because that was out of my league. And since then, for the most part, the items, while a little more spendy, are at least closer to the target.

I do want to thank my husband Troy took photos when we went into Downtown Northville last week, and we checked out some of these adorable shops. That one behind me, My Little Paris is both a coffee shop and book store, so full of charm in there. You can get a beautiful coffee or crepes and all sorts of delicious treats. You can sit with a friend and chat in the beautiful comfortable seating, you can wander and look at the books and gifts. It is like a little treasure right in the downtown area. This is a great place to just escape for awhile to treat yourself a little bit. I smile thinking of the people who wander in there every single day to just maybe find themselves again.

It was a nice treat to get out and about. Just as the boxes that arrived were really fun. Sometimes we need a little pick me up.

I hope you are taking time to lavish yourself a little bit. Life can be so wonderful but it can also be really challenging. I don’t know what you have faced this past week. I wish all good things for you. But in all of our lives there are going to be difficult things as well. We have this gift of being human, and that includes the precious ability to love. Oh aren’t you so glad for that truth? The human heart is a mystery, isn’t it? I wouldn’t trade one moment to love others for a thousand years without it.

Our ability to love so deeply, to care for others even more than we care for ourselves- that is our most beautiful inheritance as humans. So with a smile, or a joyful laugh, or a shoulder to lean on, or tears of compassion, we are at our very best when we simply love unconditionally. And while it may be the best of times or the most challenging, if we think and move and breathe with love, we will know we have given the biggest and best of our hearts and oh what a legacy that is!

Have a wonderful weekend!

I’ll be back Tuesday for another Tasty Tuesday!

Love Always,

Amy

“It always protects, always trusts always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails”.         1 Corinthians 13:7-8a